Mayor forms task force to review red-light, speed cameras

More than $19M in revenue reported from program

A couple of weeks after Baltimore City reported more than $19 million in revenue brought in from speed and red light cameras Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has formed a task force to review the city's automated traffic enforcement systems.

According to the mayor's office, the new task force has more to do with the effectiveness of the cameras than public outcry.

The mayor said she also wants to make sure the cameras are doing their jobs in promoting public safety after some startling numbers concerning pedestrian deaths around the city.

It was two weeks ago when the city discovered the money from the seven dozen speed and red-light cameras around the city had brought in $19.2 million. It was budgeted for $15 million.

The numbers have raised some questions about the cameras, prompting Rawlings-Blake to establish a task force to take a closer look at the cameras to make sure they're being used to actually promote traffic safety.

"We have kids that need to be safe going to and from school. That's what this is about and we want to make sure we're using our speed camera program to get the best results that we can to promote public safety," Rawlings-Blake said.

The eight-member board will consist of traffic safety experts, community activists, AAA and school representatives.

"We're not going to apologize for using the tool when people continue to speed mightily through school zones. We're just not," said Jamie Kendrick, with Baltimore City Transportation.

Kendrick is deputy director for administration with the city department of transportation and is heading the board. He said board members will study the effectiveness of the cameras, but said not to expect by any means to see them go away.

He said while his office has received complaints, he said more people think the cameras are doing some good.

"I don't see a scenario where we will stop using cameras, given that the public in Baltimore City has said through the mayor's citizens survey that drivers disobeying traffic laws is a higher concern that property crime," Kendrick said.

According to the State Highway Safety office from 2006-2010 Baltimore City averaged a startling 44 fatalities involving bicycles, pedestrians or vehicles.

Todd Lang, director of transportation for Baltimore Metropolitan Council, is also a board member. He said numbers like that make the board's roll critical to making sure the cameras are being properly used.

"Trying to address if the siting is correct, the numbers are correct, whether we're addressing the needs intended by the code," Lang said.

The board is expected to have its first meeting sometime in mid-October and will continue to meet at least until early 2013.